Royals add veteran reliever Alex Lange to strengthen bullpen depth
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals sign Alex Lange to a one-year deal, adding high-leverage closing experience.
- Lange's signing fills a 40-man roster spot after Royals protected two minor-leaguers.
- Lange competes for late-inning roles amid a bullpen led by Estévez, Erceg, Schreiber.
The Kansas City Royals have signed veteran reliever Alex Lange to a one-year contract in free agency.
Lange, 30, will return to the Kansas City area. He was a standout at Lee Summit West High School before playing in college at LSU. The Royals will be his second MLB team after he spent five seasons with the Detroit Tigers.
Last season, Lange appeared in one game with the Tigers. However, he offers key experience in a high-leverage role due to his time as a closer. In 2023, Lange posted a 3.68 ERA and 26 saves while appearing in 67 games.
His arrival puts the Royals at capacity on the 40-man roster. Recently, KC protected minor-league pitchers Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac from being eligible for the Rule 5 Draft next month.
Lange dealt with a lat strain last season. The injury landed him on the 60-day injured list before he returned on Aug. 18 against the Houston Astros. He was later optioned to Triple-A Toledo and recorded a 4.62 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 26 appearances.
The Royals will enter 2026 with a strong bullpen. The group is led by incumbent closer Carlos Estévez and top relievers Lucas Erceg and John Schreiber. KC also features young relief options in Daniel Lynch IV and Angel Zerpa, among others.
This offseason, the Royals saw veteran relievers Hunter Harvey and Sam Long depart in free agency. It’s possible that Lange will compete to fill one of those roles heading into spring training this February.
For now, Lange offers more experience late in games. He features a fastball, knuckle-curve, sinker and changeup in his pitching arsenal.
The Royals will continue to address their offseason needs in the upcoming weeks. It’s likely the club will search for an impact bat in the middle of the order. Additionally, the front office could seek to improve the bench.
